OPINION:
As Democrats in Congress and President Biden point to Saudi Arabia as a scapegoat for high gasoline prices in America, it is in fact the push to accelerate the energy transition to renewables by progressives in the Democratic Party, asset managers aligned with these progressives and Mr. Biden himself who are partly to blame.
Mr. Biden’s fundamental animosity toward America’s oil and gas industry, not Saudi Arabia, is the main reason why Americans are paying more at the pump. In fact, a recalibration of Washington’s relations with Riyadh may not only enhance the energy security of the United States but also bring stability to global energy markets.
There are several steps Mr. Biden must take in terms of relations with Saudi Arabia that may generate goodwill that would encourage Riyadh to respond more positively to Washington’s requests for the Kingdom to increase its production and lower global oil prices.
The first step in this recalibration is for Mr. Biden to publicly acknowledge that the newly appointed Prime Minister and crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is moving his country in the right direction by overseeing its rapid cultural, economic and social reforms. An appreciation by the United States that the architect of this Saudi renaissance is its young crown prince would positively impact the tone and tenor of U.S.-Saudi relations.
As the regime of Ali Khamenei continues to murder peaceful protestors across Iran, the second and most important move by Mr. Biden to recalibrate relations with Riyadh is to express his strong support for MBS’ policy of confronting the Iranian regime.
When Tehran’s proxies in Yemen launch deadly drone strikes on Saudi oil facilities it impacts global oil prices, thus hurting consumers across the world, including those in the United States. Indeed, King Salman and MBS understand that the number one challenge facing Saudi Arabia and the energy-rich Middle East is the Iranian regime. Mr. Biden should acknowledge that MBS’ policy of containing the Iranian regime’s influence in the region is a step in the right direction. A White House announcement that the United States will no longer return to the nuclear talks with the murderous regime of Ali Khamenei and sides with Riyadh’s correct policy of confronting the evil of Tehran’s theocracy will most likely encourage Saudi Arabia to align itself more closely with U.S. views on oil production targets.
A third step Mr. Biden must take is an acknowledgment that under the leadership of King Salman and the crown prince, women are now full members of Saudi society. In fact, while the dictatorship of the clergy denies Iranian women their fundamental rights, MBS has taken the bold and courageous move to confront closed-minded clerics in the Kingdom and sided with the woman of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Biden may not have seen these changes in women’s rights firsthand when he visited the country earlier this year, but he should express appreciation for MBS’ efforts to include Saudi women in the Kingdom’s new renaissance.
The fourth step Mr. Biden must take vis-à-vis Saudi Arabia should be an easy one; namely, acknowledging the leadership role the crown prince is playing as a true partner in building a sustainable Saudi economy no longer dependent on oil and gas. The 2018 $1 billion investment by Saudi Arabia’s PIF in U.S.-based Lucid Motors is a prime example of MBS’ determination to make his country a leader in the new global paradigm of moving away from combustion engines to electric vehicles run by lithium-ion batteries.
A visit by Mr. Biden to the non-union Lucid Motors plant in Arizona along with a statement of support for MBS’ ambitious plan to plant 10 billion trees as the centerpiece of his push toward carbon capture would not only open a new chapter in U.S.-Saudi relations but show respect for an American ally.
A final element in Mr. Biden’s recalibration of ties with Saudi Arabia should be based on the reality of energy exports as a weapon in the hands of dictators like Vladimir Putin. Mr. Biden should acknowledge that Saudi Arabia remains the world’s most important energy partner of the United States and the world. King Salman and MBS see weaponizing oil exports as immoral because it would harm consumers across the world. Mr. Biden should invite MBS to the White House for an energy summit in which the world’s top two oil producers agree on a partnership to provide long-term stability to global oil markets, thus giving confidence to America’s oil industry to make the necessary investment to boost U.S. crude oil production.
It is a sign of respect and friendship in Saudi Arabia for men to hold hands. The next time Mr. Biden meets with the crown prince, instead of a fist bump, he may consider holding the hand of the architect of the new Saudi Arabia if he wants cooperation from Riyadh to lower prices for consumers in America.
• S. Rob Sobhani, Ph.D., is CEO of Caspian Group Holding and author of a book on Saudi Arabia.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.